today. senators reid and mcconnell are discussing a potential agreement where we can get a bipartisan bill out of the senate over into the house and done in a timely fashion so that we met the december 31st deadline. given how things have been working in this town we have to actually wait and see until it actually happens. the one thing that the american people should not have to wait and see is some sort of action. so if we don't see an agreement between the two leaders in the senate, i expect a bill to go on the floor. and i have asked senator reid to do. this put a bill on the floor that makes sure that taxes on middle class families don't go up, that unemployment insurance is still available for 2 million people, and that lays the groundwork then for additional deficit reduction and economic growth steps that we can take in the new year. >> joining us now from capitol hill. south dakota republican senator john thune, a member of the budget committee. so, senator, what do you make of the president's plan? >> i'm just glad the president is engaged. you can't do big things in washing